20809229Social Movements
Course Information
Description
The Social Movements course examines social movements from a sociological perspective with an emphasis on the United States. It anaylzes what constitutes a social movement using a cross cultural as well as a cross political system approach. This course also analyzes the causes of social movements, underscoring the issues of race, class, gender, religion, ethnicity and multiculturalism in regard to legal, political and social equality. Finally, the course will evaluate prospects for social change.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
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Examine collective behaviorAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexamine collective behavior by describing the conditions necessary for such behavior to occurdistinguish collective behavior from institutional behaviorelaborate on the conditions of collective behavioridentify the dynamics of collective behavior
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Differentiate crowd behavior from other types of behaviorAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaclassify casual and collective crowdsdiscuss the emotional element of expressive and active crowdsexplain riots as a specific type of crowd behaviorcharacterize protest crowds as nonviolent action to change policy or law
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Evaluate explanations of crowd behaviorAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexplore the social-psychological aspects of contagion theorydistinguish the interactive-communication component of social unrest and circular reaction theoryrecognize that shared emotions, goals and beliefs help to shape convergence theoryidentify social norms in crowd behavior in emergent norm theory
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Distinguish between mass behavior and crowd behaviorAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexamine mass behavior indicating a similar response to an eventexplain Marx's response to modernity and industrialization as a cause of mass behaviorexplore Marx's concept of alienation of laboranalyze Emile Durkheim's notion of "anomie"explain Max Weber's conception of disenchantment including its implications for modern cultureexplain how Hannah Arendt connects mass behavior to state formation and bureaucraciesdistinguish rumors and gossip from mass hysteria and panicdistinguish fads and fashions from entrenched ethical norms
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Evaluate the concept of social movementsAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexamine the concept of social movementsapply the concept of social movements to events in the United statesexplore labor movements in the United Statesconnect social movements in America to political partiescompare social movements and political parties in the U.S. to those in Europeexplain the weakness of socialist parties and movements in the U.S. in light of Marxian stratification theory
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Differentiate types of social movementsAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexplore reform movementsbreakdown revolutionary movements as those seeking "total change"explore terrorismexplain terrorism within the context of globalizationclassify religious movements and define millenarianismrecognize alternative movementsidentify resistance movements
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Evaluate relative deprivation theoryAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexamine issues of social justiceapply relative deprivation theory to events like the French Revolutionexplore Marx's theory of alienation in the context of relative deprivation theoryanalyze relative deprivation theory in light of unfulfilled rising expectations
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Explain value-added theoryAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriadiscuss Smelser's view of adding value or impetus to a social movementdelineate structural conducivenessidentify structural strain in regard to unfulfilled expectationsdepict the spread of generalized belief relating to a clear statement of a problemidentify precipatory factors to social movements such as the incident at Three Mile Island or issues such as environmentalism.explain the process of mobilization for social and/or political actionexplore issues of social control by government officials, community leaders and social venues
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Analyze recourse mobilization theoryAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaevaluate the relationship between resources and the ability to mobilize political and/or social actionexplore Charles Tilly's notion of rational choice and collective action in relation to social movements and the rise of the Modern stateexplore the "free rider" problemexplicate the doux-commerc thesis
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Evaluate social constructionist theoryAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexplain symbolic-interactionist viewsexplain frame analysis in which interpretation of events dependsexplain the notion of context as it relates to thought and actionexplain prognostic framing identifying the prior targetcontrast frame bridging (individualistic world view) with frame extension (linking movements with people)comprehend frame transformation as social movements create new value systems
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Evaluate new social movement theoryAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaexplain the importance of identity politics to social movementsevaluate the importance of race in social movementsanalyze the significance of gender in social movementsevaluate the importance of environmental issues in social movementsexplain the possibility of a global social movementexplain the changing conception of sexuality and its salience to social and political movementsanalyze the concept of 'culture war" in American politics
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Evaluate the prospects for social change in the futureAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaestimate the physical environment and its relation to changeexplain population growth and changeanalyze technology and changeinterpret the growth of social institutions in regard to change
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Evaluate political consensus and political conflict theoriesAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriaanalyze social change in America regarding the quest for inclusionexplain the history and prospects for transformative change in Americaevaluate neo-institutionalism and its claim about American political culture and conflictexplain theories from the social conflict school of thoughtanalyze Huntington's ideals v institutions gap while applying it to the present day political climatedemarcate the absence of socialist movements in American history and politicsexplore the weakness of conservative movements in American history and politicsestimate the difficulties of forming a transformative political movement in U.S. politicsevaluate the civil rights movement in Americaexplain segregation as it relates to relative deprivation theorycontrast race with class as an element of conflict within Western societiesanalyze the developments of constitutional law relating to equal protectionexplain W.E.B. Dubois and his impact on the development of critical race theoryestimate the prospects for race and immigration as a catalyst for social change in America's future
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Analyze the women's movement in AmericaAssessment Strategieson an examCriteriacontrast the first wave of feminism against the second wave of feminisminvestigate the historical underpinnings of the women's movement in Americacontrast essentialist feminism with liberal feminismexplain the impact feminism on international relations theoryexamine the writings of Mary Wollstonecroft and other feminists who contributed to the Enlightenment and the French revolutionanalyze the developments in American constitutional law relating to the women's movementevaluate the impact of gender identity and sexual identity on American politicsdescribe the sexual revolution and its impact or "so-called" impact on the familyestimate the impact of feminism as a catalyst for conservative reactionevaluate the sexual revolution in America in light of its world historical significance